96 - Scott Erickson

Front photo: Looking super-casual during a visit to Oakland.

Back photo: Discussing something w/ Lenny Webster.

Better photo?: I love cards where the stadium also features prominently - the front.

Silver Signature:

Almost lost against the background of that jacket.

Ties to my personal collections: Pitched two games for the Mets in 2004, but never got a card for it. (0-1, 7.88)

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 11.

Wiki-facts: Middle name is Gavin! And yes, he's sorta already a greatest Gavin.

Google it: Watch him put the final touch on a no-hitter.

How was his strike shortened 1994? That no-hitter was 1 of his 8 wins to go alongside 11 losses. The ERA was 5.44.

Birthday boy: February 2, 1968. Sean Elliott, a former NBA champion whose number was retired by the San Antonio Spurs was born that day as well. Also, NFLer Huey Richardson and NHLers Ed Courtenay & Jean-Marc Rothier were 2-2-68 babies.

Up Next: Rikkert Faneyte

46 - Willie Banks

46 - Willie Banks

Front photo: Pitching photo.

Back photo: Pitching photo.

Better photo?: The partially open jersey makes me think that maybe he is endorsing a fresco company on it. But, it proably just says "Minnesota Twins".

Ties to my personal collections: Shares an "Idols" card from 1992 Pinnacle with Dwight Gooden.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 3

Wiki-facts: Nothing of note beyond baseball information.

Google it: 3 Willie Banks are on the first page. He's third behind a track and field athlete and a gospel musician.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? He went 8-12 with a 5.40 ERA with the Chicago Cubs.

Birthday boy: February 27, 1969. Nobody at any of the *-reference has that birthdate. The only people listed at wikipedia's Feb 27 page are author Stuart MacBride and Welsh rugby player Gareth Llewellyn.

Up Next: #47 - Bret Barberie

18 - Scott Stahoviak

Front photo: Definitely spring training, but not enough visible to determine if it is just practice or during an actual game.

Back photo: N/A.

Ties to my personal collections: Nothing direct as he spent his entire career with the Twins. Shares a birthday with former Toronto Raptor Dwight Buycks.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 3.

Wiki-facts: "He taught as a gym teacher at Saint Norbert School in Northbrook, IL. He resigned in 2008 to pursue a new career.  He now teaches Physical Education at Maple Middle School." That was one of the 3 paragraphs.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? Played exactly as many major league games as I did.

Birthday boy: March 6, 1970. Chris Broderick (Megadeth) was born on that date, as was former NFLer Robbie Tobeck.

Up next:  19 - Salomon Torres

#1 - Rich Becker

All good sets start with a single card. And in this case, this is said card:

One of 20 cards under the 'Rookie Class' subset to start the set.

Front photo: Fairly standard posing photo.  The visible streak on the card scan doesn't show up in hand, so I'm guessing that isn't a blue sky backdrop behind him but it might actually be a slightly cloudy sky.

Back photo: N/A. Although it is good to have a decent write-up for guys that the collector at the time would likely not have heard much about.

Ties to my personal collections: Played for the Mets for part of the season in 1998 - has a couple cards as a Met, although I don't have any of them.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 6

Wiki-facts: In high school Becker, excelled at football and baseball. In football, he played quarterback and running back on offense and corner back on defense. Middle name is Godhard.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?: Only 112 AB with a .265 average, although he did hit his first career home run.

Birthday boy: Born February 1, 1972. On that date,  Kuala Lumpur becomes a city by a royal charter granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.